Swimming

Let the lazy days of summer begin! Summer school is over, swimming lessons are over, and now it's time to take it easy.

Actually, both kids loved swimming lessons, and it was well worth the effort of getting ourselves out the door four afternoons a week for four weeks running. Even when we hit a cold snap and had to climb out of the pool into a windy 64-degree afternoon, Isaac was thrilled even as he stood there shivering. (Full disclosure: Laurel and I sat out one of her lessons because I didn't think I could handle the cold, but Isaac went in anyway!)

Isaac learned quite a few practical things, like how to float on his own for ten seconds, and he finally graduated to Level 2! More important was that he grew increasingly confident in the water, and even when he did feel uncertainty he was still willing to push himself and work hard. He cooperated with his teacher and he tried lots of new things. He never did that with soccer last year! In fact, he was so eager to go to his swimming lessons that he took responsibility for packing our bag each day, and when we got home he unpacked the wet stuff and hung it out to dry. I was very proud of him.

Laurel learned to kick her legs and make simultaneous paddling motions with her hands, which is a lot like swimming. As you see in this photo with her father, with just a bit of support she holds herself nice and straight in the water. She is very confident and is not afraid to get her face wet -- in fact, she would benefit from a bit more fear of the water! She loves to jump into the pool, which is sort of neat and sort of terrible, so in an attempt to teach her water safety we tried to get her to wait at the side of the pool until I finished counting to three. It hasn't worked yet, because as soon as I stop physically restraining her, she leaps joyfully into the water -- and safely into my waiting arms.

I guess I'll spend the next few years checking to be sure everyone's swimming pool is securely fenced.